Theresa May’s industrial strategy will struggle to deliver innovation and growth in the absence of skilled EU workers and researchers, Britain’s engineering leaders have warned.

Roughly 25 per cent of the UK’s start-ups have been founded by non-British EU nationals, and 45 per cent of their employees are from the continent, a study led by the Royal Academy of Engineering states.

A clampdown on free movement when Britain leaves the EU could also put at risk the UK’s reputation as centre of engineering excellence with top universities relying on the best and brightest EU staff and students. At Imperial College London for example — one of the world’s top 10 universities and a global leader in engineering — roughly a third of staff are non-UK EU nationals.

The study, which brings together the views of 38 engineering organisations and 400 companies, was handed to business secretary Greg Clark on Friday in a bid by industry to set out a road map for an effective industrial strategy in post-Brexit Britain.

Although the engineering community welcomed the decision by Mrs May in July to make industrial strategy a priority, what this will mean remains unclear and uncertainty is mounting over the impact of Britain’s decision to quit the EU. The report claims that engineering-related sectors account for £280bn in gross value added to the UK economy, a fifth of the total.

The 46-page paper sets out in comprehensive detail the ways in which UK engineering benefits from its access to the EU’s labour market, and its research and funding schemes. It urges the government to commission an audit of “current dependencies”. Recognising and addressing these issues must be part of an industrial strategy to maintain and improve UK competitiveness, say the compilers of the report.

For example, failure to maintain the ease with which companies can transfer their own continental employees into the UK could drive up costs. Roughly 182,000 higher level technicians and engineers will be needed a year to meet industry growth ambitions up until 2022, the report estimates — demand which the UK alone could not supply for several years even if initiatives to train people are accelerated.

Hindered access to EU talent could also result in expensive delays to large taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects such as the Hinkley Point nuclear power station. In sectors crucial to infrastructure projects, such as information technology and energy, the vacancy rate can be twice the national average.

Engineers also worry about continued access to the long-term collaborative projects that fuel innovation, such as those funded through the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme.

“You have to think about what you cannot do independently,” says Hayaatun Sillem, deputy chief executive of the academy, who oversaw the report. “It is not realistic to think we could create something like that with multiple partners. We need to think very, very carefully about disengaging from that kind of platform. There is a close relationship between research collaboration and competitiveness of the country.”

Dame Ann Dowling, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said plans to trigger the exit process next spring were raising significant concerns that would have to be addressed if the government’s ambition to foster economic growth with a coherent industrial strategy were to be met.

There were “questions about our ability to train enough skilled engine … to attract the brightest and best international talent to the UK to address specific skills shortages, and to collaborate with colleagues in non-UK EU countries in a way that accelerates innovation.”

Sir John Parker, former president of the academy and chairman of mining group Anglo American, said Britain’s departure from the EU should be seen as an opportunity to meet some of these challenges. “I see this as fresh start on industrial strategy,” he said. “It is about how we face up to getting our companies into a totally competitive position and working within a competitive and supportive industrial atmosphere.”

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Can't say I was surprised when it came out that he was about to declare as pro-EU just days before jumping into the other camp. Just more proof that the whole thing was about internal party politics and their own political careers.

And what does Theresa May do, knowing what a shape-shifting cunt he is? Makes him Foreign Secretary of course.

From the Northern Irish perspective, the vote in the Assembly yesterday was shortsighted and politically mean. Unionist members in particular just haven't grasped the importance of being with the Irish Government on much of this.I know there's 'old' politics in this, but this is no time for being politically mean. Northern Ireland and the Republic are inextricably connected and to divide them via a boarder that hasn't needed to be used in nearly 40 years is incredibly worrying!

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The UK should just hold a new referendum. The "Okay, for real real this time, guys. Not for play play" referendum.

The UK as it stands now is a dictatorial regime masked under a Tories "democracy" - brexiters will never apologize for the gigantic embarrassing lies they farted out, a new referendum to amend this fuckery will never happen. After all, Theresa-cruella May-devil is eager to invoke Article 50 March next year, and never mind if the country national health services goes to shit with no extra funding granted.

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NatWest (RBS division bailed out with taxpayers money at the height of the 2008-2009 crash) warned the 24 hour news channel Russia Today that from December they wouldn't be able to have an account with them anymore, and they have already backtracked!! after RT accused this of being a move from Theresa May's Cabinet, in light of Bojo Johnson calling for protesters to stand outside the Russian Embassy in London etc

They have a problem with a multi language 24 Hour News Channel available in dozens of countries, employing also British and American journalists, because it's a Russian one but have no qualms whatsoever with the ocean of questionable Russian oligarchs money that has been flooding London unregulated for years now, pushing the prices up for everybody at an alarming pace and rigging the entire property market, making it almost impossible to even rent a flat. Give me a fucking break. Talk about inconsistence (for which us non millionaire end up paying) at best, blatant hypocrisy and rampant corruption at worst

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Every day you read a new article about how there's not enough British nationals to do a certain job in so many lines of work, the NHS, the building or engineering sectors just an example, yet they go ahead with this nonsense? These politicians must be really living in some kind of parallel universe or something. One thing is wanting out of the EU, another alltogether is how things are shaping up.

Meanwhile Theresa May was in Brussels today reciting the same trite, tired, three month old statements that Brexit means brexit but has failed to notify Merkel and Company about what type of deal the current UK government envisions to be implemented. It's even more sad that unnerving really. It's becoming a farce

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Every day you read a new article about how there's not enough British nationals to do a certain job in so many lines of work, the NHS, the building or engineering sectors just an example, yet they go ahead with this nonsense? These politicians must be really living in some kind of parallel universe or something. One thing is wanting out of the EU, another alltogether is how things are shaping up.

Meanwhile Theresa May was in Brussels today reciting the same trite, tired, three month old statements that Brexit means brexit but has failed to notify Merkel and Company about what type of deal the current UK government envisions to be implemented. It's even more sad that unnerving really. It's becoming a farce

It's fucking disgusting is what it is. These are people who call this country their HOME... here, living and working with their families, being treated like pieces of worthless shit. That is not the country I recognise as MY home, and everyone I know is equally as sickened by this. I really despair sometimes of what goes on down there. Does England REALLY want this stain on their history?

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They are digging their own grave! The main principle of the agreements are based on freedom of goods, services, people and capital. Do they really think they can have a good commercial deal without accepting freedom of people? Iceland, Norway or Liechtestain had to accept it. Well, Switzerland is even part of Schengen!

With that RACIST policy, they won't get any good deal from the EU. They'd better turn their heads towards USA and turn UK into the new Puerto Rico.

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I used to live in UK for 21 years . I gave up my British citizenship now though. Most of my best friends are still living / working there . Some are Europeans . Does this mean they will have to apply for work permits and visas to remain in UK ? I'm utterly stunned.

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I guess. And they will get the visas if they are qualified and all that. It does not mean that they will have to live as refugees.

Those who are now working on lesser jobs have the problem. But the joke is on the UK in the end, because they surely NEED those people too. So in the end they will have to accept them too. So all this FUSS for nothing, but meanwhile they are burning bridges to any potentially good agreement with Brussels.

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God how did it come to this? I went to visit my friends last year in London and I love it ( BB - Before Brexit ) The energy / the vibes etc) When I left UK in the early 2000s it was pretty dead. No creative energy etc at all. I'd been going back a few times after I left but only in the last 3 years that I noticed the UK was really happening again. The Brexit happened and I thought WHATTTTT????

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Since 2008 certain European countries are having economic struggles: Spain, Portugal, Greece... Many people from these countries have gone to work abroad. Those with more brilliant careers have gone to Germany, but those who simply wanted to spend a couple of years living an adventure and learning better English moved to the UK. Those are the ones who are working as waiters and all that. IN Germany they are the engineers and researchers.

Plus: in 2007, Romania and Bulgaria entered the EU. Many people from these countries, along with Poland some years before, have migrated. Some of them have gone to UK. To other countries too.

And finally neocon policy means more meager salaries, while our spending has increased in the energy bills, food, and our consumerism leads us to buy more things than before and spend good money in internet bills. The cost of living is off the roof, houses are unaffordable, etc. In the end, people are much more poor now than ten years ago, not to mention 20 years ago.

So you take all that recipe, and add another cultural elements, and you have the perfect meal.

WHY ARE WE POORER? Not because salaries have been frozen since 2001, or because capitalism has turned houses into some speculating item. Oh, no, it's because a Polish man cleans the dishes in the restaurant nearby.

The Powers That Be won't let you blame neocons and bankers, but will point the inmigrants as responsible. The rest is history.

Mr Browne also said the current "public and political debate at the moment is taking us in the wrong direction."

His comments build upon those he made at the BBA annual conference last week, when he said banks had already "set up project teams to work out what operations they need to move by when, and how best to do it".

'Legal right'

"Banking is probably more affected by Brexit than any other sector of the economy, both in the degree of impact and the scale of the implications," he told the newspaper.

"It is the UK's biggest export industry by far and is more internationally mobile than most. But it also gets its rules and legal rights to serve its customers cross-border from the EU."

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Theresa May has warned other European leaders that she won't be sidelined during Brexit negotiations. She said that the UK would continue 'to meet our rights and responsibilities' as long as it's a member of the European Union. The Prime Minister was speaking on the final day of the EU summit in Brussels

The BBC journalist doesn't seem very convinced at her "answers"

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Theresa May has warned other European leaders that she won't be sidelined during Brexit negotiations. She said that the UK would continue 'to meet our rights and responsibilities' as long as it's a member of the European Union. The Prime Minister was speaking on the final day of the EU summit in Brussels

The BBC journalist doesn't seem very convinced at her "answers"

What the fuck is she on about that demented fascist bitch?! Unbelievable. What a class of utter despicable characters.

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The best is when Junker said to the UKIP deputees in the European Parliament: "are you still here?"

Since the referendum nobody is taking this people seriously in the European summits. Some of them are fuming! But how can you listen to them if most decisions by the European Comission and European Council are mid-term? Mid-term that country will be out!

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A little player has already entered the stage when it comes to the British banks. Allegedly Luxembourg is already luring British banks to move to Luxembourg, especially the funds. And here you have the perfect example of what goes wrong in Europe and what is one of the most important issues of the EU. Luxembourg is already a tax haven for many European companies, all S.E. registered in Luxembourg to save income tax. This needs to stop! There should be a harmonization of income taxes throughout the EU, to prevent those countries to make a business model out of it (Hello Ireland, Hello Cyprus) OR (and I prefer that option) income taxes must be paid in the country the profit has been generated because that would end all those creative company set ups (Hello Luxembourg). But quite frankly, this is not going to happen before the two most divisive figures leave their jobs. Junker and (but for other monetary reasons) Draghi.

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A little player has already entered the stage when it comes to the British banks. Allegedly Luxembourg is already luring British banks to move to Luxembourg, especially the funds. And here you have the perfect example of what goes wrong in Europe and what is one of the most important issues of the EU. Luxembourg is already a tax haven for many European companies, all S.E. registered in Luxembourg to save income tax. This needs to stop! There should be a harmonization of income taxes throughout the EU, to prevent those countries to make a business model out of it (Hello Ireland, Hello Cyprus) OR (and I prefer that option) income taxes must be paid in the country the profit has been generated because that would end all those creative company set ups (Hello Luxembourg). But quite frankly, this is not going to happen before the two most divisive figures leave their jobs. Junker and (but for other monetary reasons) Draghi.

Totally agree. A common currency without a unified fiscal system is a damn joke or at least a system where companies that make their big profits by manufacturing in Eastern Europe at shamelessly and exploitatively low costs do not end up paying 12% corporate tax in Dublin (hello FIAT) after they have taken tens of millions in state/ taxpayers subsidies for years. And Mr Juncker was a former Luxembourg premiere. The current EU project is a mess as it is and too many double if not triple standards

But UK politicians telling their people and the people of the other 27 member states that "Britain wants access to the single market with all its benefits but nothing to do with immigration and freedom of movement policies" is an even bigger joke, imagine if the UK had been part of Schengen all along, not even that is satisfying enough apparently. I still do not understand the ability of the current UK political class to have cohesive, effective and REAL communication or their complete lack thereof.

Truth is also that all Western current monetary policies are an insult to people. That goes for the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England alike, they are yet again readying to crash the economy to introduce more centralisation of decision making and pilfer a bit more from the middle classes who are becoming the next working class, in a future where only two classes will exist that is.

The indefinite printing of money out of thin air, so called quantitative easing is a joke and a trecherous, dangerous one at that. When they start raising those interest rates again, in conjunction with other factors, such as commodity prices rigging, oil issues, war issues, sovreign debt issues (the China/US debt situation a perfect example)so on and so forth, that's when the next crash is going to happen.

We live in very tricky times, not everything is black or white and people are being riled up against one another, by religion, race, nationality, income etc because it's quite an effective way to screw them all up at one time

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Truth is that all Western current monetary policies are an insult to people. That goes for the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England alike, they are yet again readying to crash the economy to introduce more centralisation of decision making and pilfer a bit more from the middle classes who are becoming the next working class, in a future where only two classes will exist that is.

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Theresa May has offered to involve Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in regular formal talks on Brexit. The Prime Minister has met the leaders of the devolved nations at Downing Street. But Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has described the talks as 'deeply frustrating'. The leaders are concerned about the impact of a so-called hard-Brexit, which would see the United Kingdom leave the single market.

Theresa May: Scotland has more trade arrangements with the rest of the United Kingdom than it does with the European Union, its first and foremost desire should be to remain part of the United Kingdom

Even the equable Canadians are losing patience with the EU’s inability to win backing for a trade deal that was meant to set new standards for advanced economies. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement — seven years in the making — was to be signed this week. But on Friday, Canada’s trade minister walked away from emergency talks to salvage the deal, leaving EU and Belgian officials still tussling to overcome the resistance of the regional parliament of Wallonia.

In Brussels, some are still optimistic that a compromise will emerge, but the damage has already been done. The EU’s embarrassment over Ceta has dealt a huge blow to its credibility as a trade negotiator. If European governments cannot win backing for a deal of relatively modest scale with prosperous, socially progressive Canada, there is little hope of their framing an effective response to the threat of dumping by China, or of making progress on a far more contentious trade and investment deal with the US.

Yet the EU’s detractors should not dismiss the episode as just an illustration of Brussels dysfunctionality. The Walloons’ ability to spike an agreement covering some 550m people may seem absurd. However, their concerns, while they ought not to outweigh the merits of the deal, are real — and they reflect a broader political reality.

Ceta has become a focus of anti-globalisation protesters across the EU — even if Wallonia is appeased, it will remain subject to a challenge in Germany’s constitutional court. The EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership faces far tougher opposition in Europe, and has in effect stalled as a result of the protectionist tone of the US presidential campaign.

Given the animosity towards the EU in general and trade deals in particular, the decision to allow country by country ratification of Ceta, rather than asserting the EU’s right to set policy on external trade, was a pragmatic one. The deal would bring benefits, but it is not worth ramming it through at the cost of fuelling Eurosceptic sentiment and inflaming existing tensions between member states and the centre.

However, it has set an ominous precedent for the far more complex set of negotiations that has yet to begin, over the terms of Britain’s EU exit.

The commission’s “exclusive competence” to negotiate on trade has never been in question. But trade deals now go well beyond the traditional focus on cutting tariffs: Ceta would co-ordinate regulatory standards, align rules on intellectual property and lower barriers to investment. The pressure for parliamentary ratification arose over a controversial mechanism to settle disputes between investors and host countries — an issue previously dealt with by national governments.

It now seems likely that unless the UK limits itself to the most basic form of trade deal with the EU — covering little more than tariffs on trade in goods — it will have to undergo the same process to settle the terms of Brexit. Politicians around Europe are already blanching at the prospect, with one former trade commissioner describing any repeat of the Ceta procedure as a “very serious problem for Brexit”.

It would be wise for David Davis, the Brexit minister, to temper his blithe optimism that the UK can secure smooth access to EU markets. A threat to slap tariffs on German car imports is unlikely to prove persuasive with the long list of national and regional parliaments who may have a veto. Mr Davis once described the EU-Canada agreement as a good starting-point for talks with Brussels. Following this logic, any such deal will need to be both good for Britain and good for Wallonia.

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Journalists should learn a bit more about the EU before they write, because that journo from Finacial Times (wow, such an important magazine with such shitty journalists) has no idea

The European Comission is the executive arm of the European Union. And laws about trade are not legislated by European Parliamet and Council, as other laws. The European Comission alone legislate.

This time, for this specific trade, the EC decided to allow national parliaments to have their say, to make this process more democratic. Just before, in Belgium there was a change in law that permited the regional parliament to have a say in international treaties. So this situation happened.

It has nothing to do with Brussels not being able to resolve its economic policy, or about the Brexit at all!

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Journalists should learn a bit more about the EU before they write, because that journo from Finacial Times (wow, such an important magazine with such shitty journalists) has no idea

The European Comission is the executive arm of the European Union. And laws about trade are not legislated by European Parliamet and Council, as other laws. The European Comission alone legislate.

This time, for this specific trade, the EC decided to allow national parliaments to have their say, to make this process more democratic. Just before, in Belgium there was a change in law that permited the regional parliament to have a say in international treaties. So this situation happened.

It has nothing to do with Brussels not being able to resolve its economic policy, or about the Brexit at all!

Well to be fair, the FT, of all outlets, is one of the most anti-brexit warriors among media circles. They have a so-called globalist agenda. What the author of the article is saying imo is that if a regional parliament of one of the current 28 member states can block a transcontinental deal that's been 7 years in the making, Britain on its own and outside of the single market has no hopes to stipulate 27 different trade deals or any deal with any other given country or economic block in the world.

Personally I am against this CETA, TTIP and the Trans Pacific deal because they just hand more power to multinationals, flood Europe with dangerous Monsanto GMOed poisonous "food", completely deregulate health and security standards, not to mention the increasing control and invasion of privacy and last but not least a continued impoverishment and exploitation of the working force.